


I See Fire

by sometimesicryalot



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Basically just Zuko being guilty, He's got Katara imprisoned if it isn't clear, Imprisonment, Like a "listen to our pain" kind of serenade, Serenade, Singing, Songfic, but not romantic - Freeform, i wrote this at 1 am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:21:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29837346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sometimesicryalot/pseuds/sometimesicryalot
Summary: The crown prince has a songbird of a prisoner, and he has a bewildering experience after a couple of weeks.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	I See Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Song: I See Fire by Ed Sheeran.
> 
> I changed a few lyrics around to make it more applicable, those that are changed will be in brackets. Not big changed at all, dw.
> 
> I have no explanation for this at all. I'm pregnant and sick as fuck. No thoughts head empty belly full.

There’s this one prisoner, just this one that drives Zuko absolutely insane. Every day as he goes into the prison-hold of his ship to interrogate or intimidate, she’s in there singing. Different things it is, most of the time uppity sailor tunes that Zuko already hears way too fucking much of. Sometimes they’re slower songs like lullabies—ones that’s all heard before. If he has to hear her sing about the ants that go marching one more time, his furious, twitchy hands may not simply twitch.

But today it was different. Today she did not sing. Not even a hum and the metallic echo of his boots made him inwardly cringe.

It was not until he passed her cell did she begin to sing, and Zuko visibly jumped at her voice. It did not sound like her.

No, this was not the voice of the prisoner that he had once wanted to choke the breath from. This voice shook, but the pronunciation was clear and the sound came from somewhere deeper than her belly.

He glanced into her cell, but she was in the back, too far into the darkness for him to see her.

“Oh, misty eye of the mountain below…” she moaned. Zuko paused to listen. He’s never heard this one.

“Keep careful watch of my brothers’ souls… and should the sky be filled with fire and smoke…” a deep, shuddering breath. “Keep watching over [Tui n' La's]’s sons…”

Another voice croaked, this one masculine and clearly often unused. But he took up the next verse with ease, “If this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together.”

The voices began to sing together, and Zuko’s demand for it to cease  _ immediately  _ was choked back. He just stood where he was, wondering what in Agni’s name was happening.

“Watch the flames climb high into the night.

“Calling out for the rope, prepare as we will

“watch the flames burn on and on the mountainside.”

The man’s voice breaks and he stops, coughing hard. The woman does not cease, though.

“And if we should die tonight, then we should all die together;

“raise a glass of wine for the last time.

“Calling out for the rope, prepare as we will

“watch the flames burn on and on the mountainside.

“Desolation comes upon the sky.”

Zuko finally breaks his silence, snarling. “That is enough, stop this right now—” His demand was cut short, as two voices came into the girl’s agonized hymn. It was the man and someone new.

“Now I see fire,

“inside the mountain.

“And I see fire,

“burning the trees.

“And I see fire

“hollowing souls…” that line was almost spat.

“And I see fire… blood in the breeze… and I hope that you remember me.”

The two other voices fall back, the man loudly coughing once again and the other one taking a wheezing sigh.

“Oh, should my people fall,

“then surely I’ll do the same.

“Confined in mountain halls,

“we got too close to the flame.

“Calling out for the rope,

“hold fast and we will

“watch the flames burn on and on

“the mountainside.

“Desolation comes upon the sky…”

“Stop this, NOW!” he snaps, kicking the door of her hold. She does, and for a moment all that can be heard is the reverberation of metal and haggard breathing. Zuko is not sure from who—including himself.

It starts again regardless, almost stronger this time.

“Now I see fire,

“inside the mountain.

“And I see fire,

“burning the trees.

“And I see fire

“hollowing souls...

“And I see fire… blood in the breeze… and I hope that you remember me.”

A voice he hadn’t heard for the weeks she’s been in here suddenly bursts forth. The waterbender’s voice is clearly unpracticed but the raw grief in her voice makes Zuko’s heart clench in a way it hasn’t since before his banishment.

“And if the night is burning,

“I will cover my eyes.

“For if the dark returns,

“then my brothers will die.

“And as the sky is falling down,

“it crashed into this lonely town…

“And with _ [your] shadow on the ground _ ,” she’s barely singing anymore, it sounded like a quiet prayer.

“ _ I heard my people screaming out.” _

Zuko digs his fingernails into his palms, drawing blood. He doesn’t seem to notice. “Stop, now,” he weakly protests.

All four of the voices in his prison joined together for his serenade.

“Now I see fire

“Inside the mountains

“I see fire

“Burning the trees

“I see fire

“Hollowing souls

“I see fire

“Blood in the breeze

“I see fire…”

Katara’s not even singing anymore, just weakly yells over the chorus. “Oh you know I saw [my] city burning out… Felt the heat upon my skin…”

The voices swirl together, each singing different lines and Zuko is wondering why he bothered listening to the entire thing.

Before their hypnotic song ends, he’s fled.

**Author's Note:**

> their intent was to guilt trip him into their freedom. im not writing a part two but you can imagine that it worked after he agonized over it for days. you know how he is.


End file.
